Rocky
by cmr2014
Summary: Love means being willing to say goodbye, even when it's too damn soon.
1. Chapter 1

**Rocky**

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

"You'd think a veterinarian would have a cleaner office," Meryl Stryfe grumbled. Slouched in a waiting chair, arms folded, circles under her eyes from being up all night.

"It's as clean as any doctor's office," Vash the Stampede pointed out from the chair next to her. "And we're lucky to have a vet without going to a city; a lot of little villages like ours don't."

"But look at all this dust!" she complained. "It can't be good for the animals."

"I'm told they sweep several times a day," Vash said reassuringly. "It's just hard to not be dusty on a desert planet."

Meryl scowled and looked for other things to take her mind off of why they were there.

"_Meryl, watch out, there's a wild animal in the house!"_

_Meryl stamped her foot. "Vash, get down off the couch this instant! And put that pepper spray away! Say hello to my new dog."_

_Vash stepped off the couch carefully, eyeing the animal warily. The giant beast cocked its head at him._

"_Meryl, I think you're mistaken. This is no dog."_

_She snapped her fingers at him. "Quiet! You'll hurt his feelings talking like that! He is too a dog."_

"_Look at him! He's as tall as you are!"_

_Her eyes narrowed. "Are you implying yet again that I'm short?"_

"_No, I – oh, never mind. How did you come into possession of it – him?"_

_Meryl grinned. "He followed me home."_

_Vash raised an eyebrow. "Bringing in a dog that followed you home sounds more like something I would do."_

"_AHA! So you admit he's a dog!"_

_He sighed. It was going to be a long evening._


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

Meryl looked behind the service desk. "Where the hell is everyone?" she muttered.

"Probably taking care of the dog, still," Vash said from his chair. "You know how this overnight stuff is, it's always a skeleton crew. Pacing won't make it happen any sooner. Come sit back down."

Meryl sighed with frustration, but sat back down next to him.

"_So what are you going to name him?"_

"_I don't know," Meryl replied. "I thought we could name him together. He's your dog, too."_

_Vash shook his head. "Oh, no, you don't. First off, that thing is not a dog, he's the King of the Beasts. Secondly, he's all yours. I'm not going to be following him around using a bulldozer for a pooper-scooper!"_

"_What's a bulldozer?"_

"_It's a – never mind what a bulldozer is, the point is you brought him home, you're going to be taking care of him. I have a strict rule about not messing with things that are potentially more dangerous than my brother!"_

"_Fine! I'll name him myself, then. Come here, Double Indemnity." She whistled._

"_What the hell is a double indemnity?" Vash demanded._

"_If you must know," Meryl stated haughtily, "it's a life insurance clause."_

"_You don't name a living thing after a life insurance clause! Look at his paws, for crying out loud – this thing could swat down a thomas. His name is Rocky."_

"_I am not naming my dog after rocks!"_

_Vash tsk-tsked. "Not rocks. Rocky. Rocky Marciano, the greatest boxing champ of the old Earth days. Guy was so hard he'd take four shots to give one, and that one would put you on your butt. A total tank, just like this big fella." Chest puffed a bit with pride at his knowledge of esoteric trivia learned from growing up on a SEEDS ship._

"_We'll let the dog decide," she declared._

_He shrugged. "Fine by me."_

"_Here, Double Indemnity," she called sweetly. "Here, boy!" The huge dog's head lolled to the side._

_Vash smirked. "Hey, Rocky!" The beast bounded over ti him, the floor vibrating as its tail thumped._

_Meryl humphed. "So it's settled. His name is Rocky. But you named him, so he's your dog, too."_

"_He chose his own name, and I still claim no part of him!"_


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

Meryl's foot tapped out a rapid cadence. "How much longer is this going to take?" she seethed.

"I'm sure it won't be much longer," Vash told her. "It's not like we have to pay the vet by the hour, and I'm sure he's well aware of that. He's got no reason to stretch this out."

"They could at least give us some updates. I want some news!"

Vash tilted her head up so he could look in her eyes. "Worrying won't make any difference, Meryl. We can hope, we can pray, but worrying is useless, and so is getting frustrated."

She scowled and crossed her arms. But when he reached over the armrest and held her, she didn't pull away.

"_But you've got to!"_

"_I told you, Meryl, he's not mine!"_

_She stamped her foot, finger in his face. "He needs to be walked! And when I try to walk him, I may as well be a rag doll."_

"_You brought him home, he's yours. It's your job to feed him, clean him, groom him – and walk him."_

"_Look, Vash, let's be reasonable about this. Why don't we both take him?"_

"_Because it's not my job, would be my guess."  
_

"_But think about it," Meryl pleaded. "We could get fresh air, get some exercise, spend some time together...Rocky would just be along for the walk."_

"_You do make it sound nice." Rubbed his jaw in thought. "All right. I guess I can compromise on this one thing."_

"_Thank you!" Meryl gratefully ran to get the leash. Vash knew she had gotten it when he felt Rocky bounding about, causing a small earthquake._

_They ambled around for an hour, Meryl on one side of Vash, Rocky on the other. It was enjoyable, except for one thing._

"_Will you quit rubbing your head against my leg?"_

"_He wants some affection, Vash," Meryl chided. "Give his head a scratch."_

_Eyes rolling, Vash switched the leash to his other hand and leaned down, scratching Rocky's head. The dog grrr'ed in pleasure._


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

Meryl had abandoned Vash's arms in favor of pacing again. The waiting was driving her crazy.

The door to the back area opened and the local veterinarian stepped through.

"_MERYL!"_

"_What is it?" her voice floated back._

"_Come here and see what your dog did!"_

_Her head poked in the room. "Can it wait, I – oh," she said, looking at the pair of new boots Vash was holding. The pair of new boots that had been chewed to pieces._

_Shook her head. "Look, we'll have to deal with this later. I'm late for work." Her head poked back out._

"We_ will not be dealing with anything!" he called after her. "Rocky is _your _dog!"_

_The front door slammed shut. Opened again. "And don't forget to walk Rocky!" Meryl called. Slammed again._

_Vash sighed and went into the living room. Sat down on the floor next to the dog, which was almost taller than his sitting form.  
_

"_Look, we're going to have to get some ground rules straight." The dog licked his face, big, rough tongue dragging across it. "Cut that out! Look, you've got to learn that what's yours is yours and what's mine is mine. Ok?"_

_The dog cocked its head._

"_You know what I'm saying, Rocky, quit playing dumb. Stay away from my stuff. I'm not Meryl, I don't love you." He stood up._

_The dog bounded over to where the leash was, letting out a bark that sounded just short of a sonic boom._

_Vash sighed. "All right, buddy. I'll walk you. But I'm serious – you're not my dog, and I don't love you."_

_Rocky's head brushed against his leg, and he leaned down to scratch it._


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

The vet looked at Meryl's impatient face, eyes demanding news of how her pet fared. He looked over at Vash. "You might want to hear this as well," he suggested. "He's your dog, too, isn't he?"

"He's not my dog," Vash insisted, turning in the chair so he was looking away. Her back to him, Meryl didn't see it when he wiped at his eyes.

"_Vash, come quick!"_

_There was an audible sigh as Vash paused mid-pullup. Released and landed lightly. Pulled on a shirt and went to the living room. "All right, I'll take him for his walk," he said with a roll of his eyes._

"_Not that," Meryl corrected, worry in her voice. She knelt over the giant dog. "Something's wrong with Rocky!"_

_Vash crossed to them quickly and knelt, examining the dog. Tongue hung out as it panted heavily. It flinched when he touched its stomach. Felt its heartbeat – far too rapid, even for Rocky._

"_We're getting him to the vet," Vash declared. "Get ready." He quickly pulled on socks and boots, stuffed some protein bars and bottles water and something else into a backpack. Went to the emergency room where all their supplied were kept and took out a stretcher. He was finishing loading on Rocky as Meryl came out of the bedroom, buttoning on her cape._

"_Help me get him to the car," Vash directed. Meryl struggled with the load, but they managed to get the dog loaded in the back seat. He was so big, they were lucky he fit. Vash started the car and they drove into their little village, Meryl fretting and petting and cooing at Rocky the whole way._

_Vash drove as fast as he could. There was a reason he had tried to keep an emotional distance from the dog. _

_He was tired of always losing the ones he loved._


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

A weary sorrow was in the vet's eyes as he told Meryl, "I'm sorry, Ms. Stryfe. We did everything we could –"

"Don't you say it," Meryl cut him off, tears flooding from her eyes. "Don't you dare say it, damn you!"

She fled from the clinic. Vash swore and grabbed the backpack, giving chase. The veterinarian leaned against the wall, sighing. He loved his job when he could deliver good news, hated it when he had to deliver bad news.

"Meryl, wait!" Vash called. He caught up easily and pulled her into his arms.

"Leave me alone, Vash!" she sobbed, struggling against him. "I don't want to hear it! I can't bear to hear it, don't you understand?"

"I've been around over a century, Meryl," he reminded her. "I understand more than you know. I've buried more friends than anyone should ever have to."

"It's too soon to say goodbye!"

He tilted her head up, brushing away tears that continued to flow. His tone was as gentle as he could make it. "That's not our call. We don't get to decide. But you can't run away from it. You have to face it, Meryl."

"Why?" The look on her face hurt him to the core. Tough Meryl Stryfe was seeing part of her world end.

"Because he gave us all the love he had, and he deserves his goodbye."

Vash removed the backpack and took out his red duster, unfolding it and draping it around Meryl. It was several sizes too big, making her look like a child playing dressup.

"Your old coat? Why?"

"Red is the color of determination," he told her. "You have to be determined to see this through, no matter the hurt."

Meryl swiped at her eyes, set her jaw. Vash was right; she could not abandon the second love in her life. "Let's go."

They walked back to the vet's office together. She refused his offer to carry her, but did lean on him as she walked, wrapped in determination.


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: Trigun and its characters belong to Yasuhiro Nightow.

The burial was a small affair. Meryl was pleased her friend Milly Thompson returned from out-of-town insurance business in time to attend. She and Vash and Meryl buried the dog quietly and filled in the grave together. Meryl and Milly talked about Rocky as they worked. Vash didn't say anything.

They walked back home together, the three of them.

"All that shovel work left me famished," Milly declared as they walked. "Do you mind if I cook something at the house?"

"Not at all," Meryl said. "It's your house, too, whenever you're not away on assignment. Vash, you're usually always starving. Do you want some donuts?"

"No."

She squeezed his hand. "Do you want lunch or anything?"

He squeezed back, but looked away. "I'm not very hungry."

She was concerned at first, then smiled as she saw him absentmindedly lean down and scratch a head that wasn't there.

Didn't miss Vash's murmur:

"He was my dog, too."


End file.
